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News Briefs
A Bittersweet Farewell
The winds of change are blowing again and I am setting my sails on a new course.
By: LINDSEY GLASGOW
HUNTINGTON BEACH.— A farewell and thank you is in order as this will be my final issue as a staff writer for the Log newspaper. No goodbyes are easy and this one, to you our readers, certainly isn’t.
I came to the Log two years ago with a small amount of knowledge of boating and the nuanced development, legislative, and environmental issues impacting boaters but have strived to learn, grow, and dedicate myself to reporting these stories with the reverence they deserved. I did not take the weight of this responsibility to report fairly and accurately lightly and have strived to do so day in and day out.
I wanted to give a heartfelt thank you to the community members I have met at my time at the Log, you have and always will be a vital part of this newspaper. I have tried in my time here to look deeper than commission agendas and listen and seek your unique stories and tell them in an impactful way.
And another thanks to the many waterfront department staff, harbor masters, harbor commissioners, city councilmembers and other local officials who have lived up to their duties and answered my calls and questions and not shied away from controversial topics.
As I shift course, I will still be living here in Southern California and hope we cross paths again out on the water. Don’t hesitate to stay in touch, you can reach me at lwelling6@gmail.com.
WORLD NEWS news briefs
By Jordan B. Darling
LOCAL SeaWorld San Diego and Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute Live Track Two Guadalupe Fur Seals
SAN DIEGO— Two Guadalupe fur seals were released back into the Pacific Ocean last month and for the next three to four months the seals will be tracked using transmitters, to collect data and provide information on the seal’s habits and location. According to a July 19 press release from SeaWorld, the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute has tracked the animals south into waters off Northern Baja, one of the seals is midway between Ensenada and the outer continental shield and the other is moving towards the edge of the continental shelf just south of Ensenada. One of the seals was found on Camp Pendleton’s white beach on Jan. 30 and appeared to be emaciated, lethargic, and had bald spots across its body. After more testing they found two broken femurs, a broken rib, and a four-inchlong sting ray spine lodged in her nasal passage, according to the press release. Seals normally take three to four months to recover before they are released but they held her for over five months because of her injuries. Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach will start to host its monthly habitat restoration event at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. The wetlands stewardship program is working to restore 66 acres of wetlands by removing non-native plants, planting native plants, collecting seeds for later use, and picking up trash. The events are led by trained naturalists and local educators and are open to everyone, although children under the age of 14 have to be accompanied by an adult. The program requests that participants wear closed-toe shoes, and suggest a hat and sunscreen. Water will be provided, but it is a plastic water bottle-free event and a reusable water bottle is requested. The events will be held the first Saturday of the month on August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6, and December 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants will meet with staff at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and 1st St. in Seal Beach. For more information see https://bit. ly/3eZv2Fr.
Aquarium of the Pacific Partners with International Bird Rescue and Others for Tern Chick Rescue
LONG BEACH— The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach has partnered with the International Bird Rescue, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oiled Wildlife Care Network to assist in rescues of baby tern chicks in Long Beach Harbor. The birds have formed a colony on two barges in the harbor and chicks have been falling into the water and are in danger of drowning because the chicks have not grown their adult watertight feathers yet. Aquarium staff have been going out in boats daily to retrieve the chicks from the water where they are then transferred to the IBR clinic in San Pedro where they are then stabilized. As of July 16, more than 400 chicks had been rescued and brought to the clinic.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL Prifysgol Banger University in Wales Celebrates 20 Years of Research on the Prince Madog
BANGOR, WALES— A public university in Wales celebrated 20 years of research on the United Kingdom’s largest vessel in the education sector, the Prince Madog. The ship was built as a multi-purpose research platform along the British coastline and in the Irish or Celtic Sea. The ship is the United Kingdom’s only fully seagoing research vessel that focuses on the coastal seas, according to the July 20 press release from Prifysgol Banger University. “Research and teaching aboard the Prince Madog, the largest research vessel in the UK higher education sector, focusses on the vital coastal seas,” said Professor and Head of the School John Turner, in the press release. “These shallower seas are important for fishing, marine renewable energy, recreation and tourism. The ship is capable of working in strong currents and most weather conditions and was custom built to undertake scientific surveys across the spectrum of marine science, from coastal waters to the shelf edge.”
CANCUN, MEXICO— On July 14 the Cancun International Boat Show announced that they were rescheduling the show for Dec. 3-5, in light of restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. The show was set to be hosted July 16 at the Marina Puerto Cancun in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The show will feature seven areas; a main exhibit area showcasing boats, engines, electronics, diving, and fishing equipment; a covered exhibit area for media and travel; the lower corridor for smaller exhibits; in-water boat exhibits for sea trials; a water taxi and yacht tender dock; a fun-zone demo area; and luxury yachts in the marina basin. For the December dates the event has added Visit Mexico, a private tourism company, as a sponsor and will be showcasing a 30-foot invisible snorkeling boat, e-power yachts, anti-fouling technical breakthroughs, and a walk through of the engine room of a 40-meter catamaran ferry. For tickets see http://www.cancunintlboatshow. com/en/tickets/.
